Live On
by CrimsonFlowers
Summary: Two years after Lucy's death, and everyone has moved on. Except for Natsu. And he'll do anything to distinguish the pain in his heart. Even if it means pretending that Lucy never existed. But what will he do when he discovers a girl in Sabertooth guild that looks exactly like Lucy Heartfilia?
1. The Past

**Omg I want to kill myself. It's been almost a week since I've updated Natsu Does Not Approve . I'm. So. Sorry. . . . But. . . after I update the 5th chapter of Natsu Does Not Approve, it's going to be put on hiatus. Why you ask? Natsu Does Not Approve is kind of simple for a plot, and I want to expand my imagination to more of an adventurous/tragic category. **

**I'll still be putting one-shots here and there, of course. And I'll probably have to keep a schedule too. . . yeah. . . **

**Well, here's my new series, Live On! (terrible title. . .)**

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_It was sunny outside, as usual in Magnolia, Fiore. Natsu Dragneel was feeling quite pleasant, out on a date with Lucy Heartfilia. They had first gone to an ice cream truck to buy ice cream; Natsu chose chocolate, Lucy chose strawberry. _

_"It reminds me of your hair," She had said teasingly, and ruffled up Natsu's spiky salmon hair. _

_After that, they had both spotted a balloon cart, with multi-colored balloons of all kind. Pink, purple, blue, red, green, even brown apparently. . . _

_Lucy, of course, just had to drag him there, and buy two balloons. One red one, one blue. "Luce, I can't believe you wasted money on a balloon," Natsu had grumbled, preferring to have spent the last of their jewel on food. _

_Lucy had wagged a finger at him, telling him that if he ate too much, he would become huge and explode into a million pieces._

_Natsu replied that Droy ate buckets of fried chicken every day, and he hadn't exploded yet. Lucy had punched Natsu's shoulder, and admonished him even more, saying it was rude to make fun of Droy. Natsu had lowered his head, and tried to act ashamed, but there was a knowing smirk on his face. He knew that Lucy was just trying to refrain from laughing at his joke._

_They had finally settled at a peach tree, and were currently sitting underneath its shade. Fallen leaves swept up and swirled around them, creating the most peaceful landscape for the couple._

_"Ne, Natsu?" Lucy finally asked, prodding the fire dragon slayer's shoulder. _

_"Hmm?" Natsu looked at her, balloon held in one hand. "Yeah?"_

_"Promise me something," She insisted holding up her pinky finger with a shy, but playful smile on her lips._

_Natsu gazed at the finger, and tried not to chuckle. Then he moved his gaze up to see Lucy's bright, chocolate brown orbs beseeching him. So the fire mage went along with it, grinning impishly at her. "Alright. What do you want me to promise?" _

_"Promise me. . . " She hesitated for a second, uncertainty crossing her face. Then just as quickly, she regained her composure and lifted her finger up higher. "Promise me that you'll remember me."_

_"What kind of promise is that?" Natsu regarded her with a funny expression. Of course he would remember her. He knew her already, didn't he? Lucy Heartfilia, the daughter of Jude Heartfilia and Layla Heartfilia, and a celestial spirit wizard. She was a member of Fairytail and Natsu's girlfriend of course. "I mean, I'm not _that _stupid_." 

_"Just do it," Lucy snorted, rolling her eyes and shoved him with her opposite hand which held the blue balloon. _

_"Fine, I promise that I'll remember you," He waved her hand off and hooked his pinky with hers. He raised an eyebrow. "Happy, now?"_

_"Yeah," She whispered, satisfied. She leaned against the trunk of the tree, her blue balloon moving with the constant breeze. And she didn't say another word for the rest of their date. _

* * *

Natsu wished he could crumple up every memory with Lucy in it and throw it in the trash. That's how much pain he felt. How was he supposed to know that Lucy would die of heart disease?

_Remember me, _she had insisted, determination flickering in her chocolate brown eyes.

Ha, yeah right. She was on his mind every day, how was he supposed to forget? He remembered her at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He remembered her once he would walk into the guild and search for her and realize she wasn't there. And he would remember her in his bittersweet dreams, and once he would wake up, he would whisper her name. Then realization would hit him that she was gone. And a lump would form in his throat, all the sadness and anger caught in it.

He thought that losing Lisanna was the worst possible thing that could happen to him. He didn't know how wrong he was. Losing Lucy had been like losing Igneel, it was just too painful.

The people that worked for the Heartfilia family had mourned over Lucy's death. Natsu couldn't blame them. She had been the last Heartfilia descendent, and she was dead. Just like that. The workers had built a coffin and buried it next to her parents. And whenever Natsu visited the coffins, he could feel tears trickle down his cheeks and he would sob for hours, his forehead pressed against the center of Lucy's coffin. He would pound the coffin repeatedly, wishing so desperately that it would bring back Lucy. And after 3 hours, he would sniffle, his eyes bloodshot. He wiped his nose, trying to rid of any evidence that he cried over her. And then he would walk away.

Everyone at the guild had cried over Lucy's death. For weeks, the headquarters had been full of heartbroken sobs and nothing else. Gray had simply sprinted out of the guild, yelling every cuss word he knew at the top of his lungs. Erza had been in the middle of eating her strawberry cake when the news came to her. The next thing Natsu knew, the cake and dish was scattered in bits and pieces on the counter, as Erza fell to her knees and had cried despondently with tears trailing down her cheeks and onto the ground. Wendy had sobbed too, her mournful wails filling the guild rooms with nothing but despair.

Eventually, they would move on of course.

**It had been 2 years since then. . . . . . . . . . **

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**So, whatdaya think? . Bad? Good? Kind of weird? Well, please review! ^-^ **


	2. Natsu Dragneel

**Okay, this story is off to a sad start. Some people even cried, so they told me (on deviant art)**

**But really, you don't know what's coming to ya ^^ Hope you enjoy my story, It's made for you guys out there YEAH. **

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"Help! My purse!" A woman with curly, black hair yelped as her purse was snatched away from her hands.

The thief snickered, turning as he ran away with the purse. He could hear the voices of policemen and reporters veering closer and closer by the second, so he lifted his hand and murmured the words of a spell. In a moment of seconds, the townsfolk were swept back by a powerful force that came from the thief.

"He's magic! He's a wizard!" A bearded man yelled, getting many other people's attention. The thief continued to run, having more room to outpace now that he used his magic. He ran through the bazaar and alleyways, determined to outrun the horde following him.

"Haha, idiots," The thief snorted, grasping the purse with two of his calloused hands. "I can finally-" He was stopped in his tracks. "What the-" He sputtered, bewildered.

A salmon-haired man had grabbed the thief's collar. The caught thief swallowed with difficulty.

The pinkette's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell are you?" His eyes were charcoal- or green? The criminal wasn't quite sure.

"Let go of me you pink-haired freak," The thief spat, trying to wriggle from his strong grip, but it proved useless.

"Oh, no." The man with spiky pink hair smirked, and his eyes flitted behind the thief, acknowledging the townsfolk that were coming towards them at top speed. "Won't you let the paparazzi take some pictures?"

"Get OFF!" The criminal slammed his fist against the fingers that held his collar. To the pinkette's surprise, the thief was freed. "Haha!" he shouted triumphantly. But before he could celebrate his success any further, the salmon-haired man yelled,

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" And flames burst out of his mouth and towards the thief, who was completely oblivious to what was coming to him.

The criminal turned his head at the last second, and uttered a scream that sounded like a 4 year old girl's. The flames drowned his figure into the crimson, and the anonymous man could barely make out the thief thrashing his arms out. Once the fire had distinguished, all that was left was a half-baked thief burned to a crisp. The thief, with a shocked expression pasted on his face, fell on the ground with a thud.

The policemen had finally caught up, with the townsfolk trailing close behind them. One police officer, which was most likely the Chief, stepped forward. His eyes widened at the sight of the burnt man. "Is that the thief?"

"Yes," The salmon-haired man replied. In his hand was the leather purse, completely unharmed. "May I ask whose this is?"

"My purse!" The black-haired woman was right behind the Chief, and relief flood through her face. She darted forward. "Thank you!" She said with gratitude, and took the purse from his hand.

"You should drag that moron to jail," The pink-haired man indicated the burnt man in disgust.

"Is. . . he dead?" Another police officer asked hesitantly.

"No, he's fine. Lucky for him," The pinkette started towards the other direction, before being stopped by a "Wait!" He swiveled his head to see the black-haired woman again.

"What is your name?" Her brown eyes gleamed with curiosity. The folk behind her nodded rapidly, desperate to know as well.

The salmon-haired man studied her. "Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. Of Fairytail." He lifted his right shoulder to reveal his red emblem for all to see.

* * *

Natsu sniffed the autumn air, and grunted irritably. He despised the smell of dead leaves. It was sickening to his dragon senses. It was evening. The half-moon was out, and was accompanied by the twinkling stars.

A vast amount of stars were clouded by the exhaust and pollution, which increased Natsu's annoyance. He descended the grassy hill, and noticed patches of dirt spotting the green. Dead, dead, everything was dead. A small part of himself wanted to yell and sprint as far away as possible from the landscape, but he forced the frustration down. He continued to stroll, his arms folded behind his head, still surveying the area. His spiky salmon hair moved with the strong breeze.

Since x792, his appearance hadn't change very much. He still wore a zipped-up waist coast, except it was outlined in red instead of yellow. He wore white trousers, and sandy brown sandals. He still had his red guild mark on the right shoulder, and of course, Igneel's scarf wrapped around his neck. He wore a black cloak from time to time, with a hood to mask his appearance.

He thought about the sunny day, two years before. _Maybe he could_- No.

He had had a sudden temptation to buy flowers and set it by _her _coffin, but he refused to. He was dating Lisanna now, wasn't he? He didn't need _her _right?

"Natsu!" A digitized screen materialized in front of the fire dragon slayer, taking him by surprise. On the screen was Erza Scarlet, the Titania.

The fire dragon slayer drew a puff of air from his mouth. Whenever Erza sent a hologram, it always meant business, and nothing else. Or to word it differently, it meant she would say things that Natsu didn't give a shit about.

"It's time for you to come back to the guild, Natsu." Erza said, the solemness in her tone. She wore her normal Heart Kreuz armor, except the breastplate was red instead of gray. Her crimson hair was done up in a ponytail, clearly set for a special occasion that he didn't want to think about at the moment.

Natsu rolled his eyes, and avoided the screen. He didn't care what punishment he got, he just wasn't in the mood to speak to the Titania.

The screen automatically veered ahead of the fire wizard, stopping him in his tracks. "It's Lisanna's birthday remember?" Erza reminded, her voice manipulated by the sound waves that were radiating off the hologram. Scratchy lines on the screen proved the connection poor, and Erza's hologram could disappear at any minute (hopefully it did).

"Yeah, yeah." Natsu mumbled, clamping a hand over his left ear, hating the buzzing sounds that vibrated from the screen.

"I'll be right over." Sometimes he wished he could murder the guy who invented the Hologram.

Natsu could see Erza Scarlet's lips purse, and her eyes narrow into fearsome slits. Then she finally responded, "All right then." And the screen faded to black and the entire hologram scattered into speckles of electrons.

The fire mage waved them off, refusing to let the teeny sparks approach his body. He gazed up and contemplated the dismal landscape one last time, and sighed. He wished so desperately that things couldn't change in Earthland. He folded his arms behind his head again. He turned on the heel of his foot to start his journey back to Magnolia.

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**Review, please? D:**


	3. The Party

**Longer chapter! It should be a longer chapter, I know it is :0 But thanks for your support on this story ^^ Chapter 3, let's go!**

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It was three hours until Lisanna's party, and the guild members were still not quite finished.

Wendy was still setting down platters full of cupcakes onto wooden tables. The cake batter was vanilla, and the top of the cupcakes were decorated with violet frosting and a pink daisy on top. It was candy flavored. And Wendy couldn't help but feel her mouth water as she set them down, wishing to get just a taste of the frosting.

"Save it for the party," Carla admonished knowingly, as she flew by the sky dragon slayer. Wendy's head drooped.

Fried was assisting Wendy, arranging the dishes whenever the sky dragon slayer set them down. "It must be perfect," he proclaimed dramatically, his eyes shining with determination.

Bixlow, with his tongue still sticking out, was ordering his dolls to hang up the banner at the center of the room. "Move a little to the left, my babies!" He barked loudly.

Elfman stomped on the floor, and yelled "MAN! LISANNA'S A MAN!" His guild mates were clinging to the tables, hoping that the decorations and food wouldn't fall off.

"Lisanna's not a man you IDIOT!" Evergreen came out of nowhere. She shrieked, whacking his head with her fan, which was surprisingly lethal.

"OW!" Elfman yelled, clutching the top of his head.

Gajeel was tapping his foot, and feigned a powerful yawn. "You done yet, shrimp?"

"I thought we agreed not to give each other insulting names, _Gajeel_." Levy responded back in a scornful manner. She was adjusting stuffed plushies around the room, and there was one spot she hadn't adorned with stuffed animals yet. She added one more touch and clasped her hands together. "And yes," She clambered down his arm, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," She said sweetly.

"No. . . problem." The iron dragon slayer stammered, still not used to her delicate kisses.

And Gray was scurrying away from Juvia. He was desperate to outrun the rain wizard who was trying to chase him.

"Gray-sama! Juvia loves you!" She cried, her fingers moving in a claw-like motion.

"I KNOW! But would you just stop CHASING me?!" The ice wizard yelled, as her continued to avoid Juvia.

Juvia skidded to a stop, hands at her sides. "Juvia has stopped."

"Phew, finally." Gray walked up to her and patted her gently on the head. "You don't give up very easily, do you?"

"Nope," The rain mage replied, pink tinging her cheeks as Gray threw his head back and laughed.

"Well, it's fine, I love you for that." He smirked at the water mage.

MiraJane smiled at the sight of Gray and Juvia, and put the finishing touches on the bar counter. "So where's Natsu?" She queried Erza. "He said he'd help with decorating committee, didn't he?"

Erza sighed, and planted a firm hand on her hip. "It doesn't matter anyway. Decorations are completed." She made a mental checkmark in her head next to 'Decorations'. "Once he gets here, he'll get to clean the dishes _after _the party."

MiraJane closed her eyes and exhaled in exasperation. "If that boy doesn't get better soon. . . "

"He will," The titania assured the barmaid. Her eyes flickered to the guild doors expectantly. "It just takes time."

"Hopefully," MiraJane whisked the remainder of the decorations to the small, lonely corner in the guild headquarters. "Would you bring the cake out?" She called as she headed to the other side of the room.

Erza's eyes gleamed mischievously. "It would be my pleasure." She said, not that Mira could hear her. As she was about to sneak into the kitchen, a small click rang through the room. She turned her head with the rest of the guild members to see Natsu.

The fire dragon slayer wore a bored expression on his face. In his hand was a bag full of jewel, perhaps his award from catching the thief. He was about to walk forward when he was stopped by Gray.

"About time. . ." The ice-make wizard crossed his arms and huffed indignantly. "You didn't even help out with anything. You could've missed Lisanna's party."

"Get over it," Natsu said, cutting him off.

Gray's eyes widened, and his mouth opened to retort. But nothing came out.

Natsu began to walk, his footsteps making the wooden floor creak. It was nothing but silence as he headed to the bar counter, with his hands in his pockets. When he reached the counter, he snapped his fingers and ordered, "Get me a drink, Mira."

The demon narrowed her eyes at the blunt fire mage, not about to give in easily. "Natsu, you didn't even help us set up for Lisanna's surprise party. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Natsu glanced up at her, meeting her eyes for only a second. "Well, I'm _so _sorry, Mira." He drawled, his tone full of sarcasm and no sincerity.

MiraJane clenched her teeth. "Why, you-"

"Enough," Erza appeared out of nowhere. She held out a hand to halt MiraJane's actions. She fixated her gaze on the Salamander. "Natsu, Lisanna is your girlfriend. Could you at least have the decency to act like her boyfriend?"

"I don't need to _act_ like her boyfriend," Natsu responded, his charcoal eyes staring down her brown ones. "I just need to _be_ her boyfriend."

"You're supposed love each other! Support each other!" Erza insisted, frustration beginning to get the best of her. "What happened to the old Natsu?"

"That isn't _me_ anymore, Erza, just get over yourself." Natsu brushed off her words as if they meant nothing but dust.

"I won't tolerate this stupid behavior from you. The next time you do something like this, I'll let Master know and he'll put you on probation for weeks." Erza knew she didn't sound as threatening as she could be.

"Ha, you think Gramps can do that? I'm an S-Class now, that won't stop me." The fire mage snickered, not even meeting the Titania's gaze.

Erza bit her lip. She had nothing else to say, there wasn't anything to work with. She finally whispered, "And to think, you used to be with Lucy. . . "

Natsu slammed his fist on the counter, causing the murmurs and side conversations to stop. He abruptly leaned close to Erza, his eyes now blazing a fierce serpent green. "_You. Will. NEVER. Speak. Her. Name._" He spoke each word calmly, but dangerously.

It took all of Erza's willpower to not look away.

From one side of the room, Wendy whimpered. Carla patted her wrist, and whispered a few words to console her.

The great Titania was stumped by his words, not sure what to say.

The fire dragon slayer exhaled shallowly, and stood up. "You can forget I ever came. Because I'm not attending this party." He strode to the guild doors. His footsteps were now leaving dents in the wood, exposing his irritation. Natsu grabbed the door handles and flung the doors open. His white muffler fluttered at the sudden burst of air that flooded into the guild headquarters.

"Natsu-nii!" Natsu turned to see Romeo, his eyes full to the brim of sadness. "You-You can't leave!"

Natsu stared at him, speaking no words. He turned away and walked out of the guild, and the doors slowly closed shut.

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**Review!~ Or fav~ Or follow~ xD**


	4. Search

**OH MY GOD. KILL ME. I AM SO SORRY. I HAVEN'T UPDATED FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. KILL ME, PLEASE, KILL ME!**

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MiraJane's eyebrows creased as she folded her arms. "That boy has problems, I tell you! Telling everyone off like that."

Gray clenched his fists, staring down at his feet. "It's been two years since we've had a fight."

Juvia consoled him silently, resting her head on his shoulder.

Macao rubbed the back of his head, his mustache twitching with unease. "And to think how much Natsu has changed. . ." His eyes flitted to Romeo, who was sitting on the wooden steps, his face buried into his arms. He sighed mournfully.

Levy pressed her lips into a thin line. "It's not his fault." She spread her arms out for emphasis. "Lucy's death impacted all of us. It just hurt Natsu the most." She spoke in defense for the fire dragon slayer.

At that moment, the guild doors creaked open, Lisanna Strauss's head poking out. She contemplated the room, sensing the dark mood in the room.

"H-Happy Birthday," Elfman said weakly.

"Lisanna. . ." Erza stepped forward, keeping a straight face.

"Yes, Erza?" The shape-shifter's voice trembled when she addressed the Titania.

"He's not here." Erza said, her voice ringing through the guild, loud and clear.

Lisanna's lips pursed, processing what she said. It finally hit her and she whispered, "W-What?" Lisanna held a hand to her mouth, trying to contain the tears that could spill at any moment.

_And on her birthday too. . . . _Erza gripped her fist tightly as Lisanna began to sob softly.

Happy flew through Magnolia, his eyes scanning the stores and shops. He scratched his ears, perplexed. "Where's Natsu. . . " He grumbled to himself. He had been sent out to look for him when Natsu still hadn't come to help out with the party.

"Why me?" He had whined, dropping on his knees in front of Mira. "I want to give Carla my fish!" He had held out the fish that the butcher had given to him for free. It was the biggest fish he had ever gotten, and he was anticipated to give it to his lover. It was wrapped in a large pink bow, that flopped when Happy had lifted it.

Mira bent down, a sad smile on her face. "I know how you feel, Happy. But, without Natsu, we can't finish up the decorations. Could you please look for him?"

Happy sighed. He liked Carla. . . but his fire dragon slayer companion came first. "Alright. . " He had sprouted wings and flown out of the guild.

And here he was now, searching for him. "Mou. . ." Happy whimpered, floating in midair. His paws were drooped as he stayed in one place. He was beginning to lose hope. And Lisanna's party could start any moment now.

He flew down an alleyway, his eyes flitting around. The walls were covered with multi-colored graffiti, and Happy could feel himself tense up. He wasn't supposed to be here, was he? He fixated his gaze forward, expecting the corridor to end sometime.

It kept going, and it took all of the blue feline's willpower to keep flying through. And he could've sworn that he heard whispers. The voices increased in volume, making Happy fly faster.

He squeezed his eyes shut, flying with all his might, wishing the voices would disappear.

"A flying cat?" Happy stiffened and whirled around at the sound of a gruff voice. The whispers faded into nothing.

A man was leaning against the front of a large dumpster, which emitted all sorts of terrible odors. He wore a black tuxedo, with its color clearly faded. He wore a hat on his head to match, which drooped to the left, covering his right eye.

He did not wear shoes, as far as Happy could tell, and the cat wrinkled his nose in disgust. He held a cigarette in between his charred fingers, and smoke was relinquished from his mouth. "How interesting. I didn't think magicians were capable of making things sprout wings."

"I'm a mage myself." Happy spat at the man, not able to contain his irritation. "I was born with wings!"

"Oh, really?" The man muttered in amusement, only increasing Happy's indignation. He brought the cigar to his mouth.

Happy stared at him, debating on whether or not he should claw his eyes out of their sockets. _Hmm, maybe he knows where Natsu is. . . . _ The chagrin drained from his body. He sheathed his wings, and they disappeared in a blink. He walked over to the man, who was blowing out the smoke.

"Have you seen my friend?" The blue exceed asked softly, his paws swinging at his sides.

The beggar grunted. He stayed silent for a while, still inhaling the smoke from the cigar, and released it from his chapped lips. Happy was about to give up and abandon him, when he finally spoke, "Pink-hair?"

"Yes," Happy said eagerly. "Has he been around here?"

The beggar cocked his head to one side, his eyebrows furrowing. "Yes. Yes he has. He went down the alley a couple minutes ago, before you arrived." He lifted a finger to indicate the corridor that apparently went even further into darkness.

The blue cat groaned, and hung his head. "I don't want to go down there." He mumbled, sweat-dropping at the thought.

The man in the tuxedo snorted, bringing the cigar to his lips once more. "And why not?"

"Because, it's scary!" Happy whined, covering his ears with his paws. "And I heard weird voices on the way here. . "

The beggar stiffened, in the middle of exhaling the fumes. Happy frowned. He clearly knew something. Not wanting to waste any more time, the exceed clenched his teeth, and his wings appeared on his back. He ascended into the air, and turned around and waved at the beggar. "Thanks for the help, mister," He called, the distance increasing between them.

The beggar simply stood there, a fixed stare on the exceed.

Happy couldn't shake of the feeling that a strange aura came from the man. It wasn't bad. It was just. . . strange. _Oh well, I guess I got to keep going_. He sighed, and willed his wings to go faster as he picked up speed.

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**I'M GOING TO STOP WRITING IN CAPS. More chapters coming up, I promise.**


	5. Lisanna

**Three words. Don't kill me. D:**

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Natsu stomped on the twigs and leaves that were spread across the pavilion. He kicked up piles, taking his anger out on anything in sight. His hands drowned in the bloody, crimson flames as he unleashed all his might on one of the fountains. He pounded against the cement, wincing silently at the impact. He shook it off, and relinquished his flames. The ornamental structure was smashed into rubble. The pipes weakly spurt out the water.

He turned away. To his surprise, he tripped over a crack, and his back crashed against the hard, acrylic floor. He wanted to get up. He wanted to reduce even more things to ruins. He pressed his elbows again the floor, willing his body to lift itself up.

But no avail, for his back fell against the ground once more.

He sighed, and stared at the bright ceiling. Diamond encrusted chandeliers hung over him, the only thing undaunted from his destruction. The chandeliers were taunting him with their glistening shine and perfection. Natsu raised an arm, his hand clenched into a fist.

Fire collected in the palm of his hand, dancing in his clasped hand, just desperate for escape. He opened his fist, palm out first. The flames burst out of his hand with immense force, heading to the closest chandelier at high velocity. The beacon of crimson crashed against its branches, and the tongues of flames wrapped around the chandelier, burning it right before his eyes.

The fire dragon slayer clamped both hands over his face, groaning. Why did everything have to be so fucking difficult? He had stormed out of the guild, abandoning his girlfriend without a care. Yes, her laugh tinkled like bells. Yes, her snow white hair gleamed, and her blue eyes shined like pearls. She had asked him out two months after _her _death, and his mind had screamed at him, cussing at him, telling him no. NO. NO. NO!

He didn't want to be in another relationship, not after _her _death. Then, what was the harm, really? He needed to take his mind off of a certain celestial spirit mage, and perhaps dating a different girl would cure his broken heart.

So what did the idiot have to say? _Yes. _

Despite all the wreckage, he wanted to break more objects. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything else left to ruin.

He spread his arms and legs out, staring at the charred chandelier that was hanging on half a string that could probably fall at any moment. So was it worth it? To even be in a relationship with Lisanna?

_"Natsu!" She held up a picnic basket with her dainty fingers. "I set this up, do you want to go on a picnic?" Her sky blue eyes had gleamed with confidence and determination. _

_The fire dragon slayer had been playing with the straw of his drink, swirling the fire, orange liquid around in the glass. "Hmm," He muttered, mesmerized by the pellucidness in his drink. "Oh, not now, I'm busy. . ."_

_Lisanna lowered the hand-woven basket, sadness lining her eyes. _

_"Oh, Natsu, about the dance tonight, do you wanna go?" She clasped her hands behind her back, a shy expression on her face. "Since we're you know. . . " She twirled one of her fingers in her platinum hair, aiming to be provocative in the fire dragon slayer's perspective._

_The fire dragon slayer had been examining the quest bulletin, his eyes skimming the multiple quests on the board. He had been clutching Igneel's scarf, in one hand. His eyebrows furrowed. His pupils expanded as he searched for the specific amount of jewel he needed. "Oh, it's you. Maybe not tonight."_

_The shape-shifter's modest grin dropped to a frown. She looked down at her soft, pink slippers. "Oh, okay. . "_

_"Natsu!" Lisanna sang, catching him by surprise by flinging her arms around his neck. "My birthday is tomorrow, you know! Have any surprises for me?" She giggled, burying her head into his shoulder._

_Natsu had completely froze at the contact, and he rigidly turned his head to meet Lisanna's eyes. The shape-shifting mage expected his charcoal orbs to be full of surprise. _

_Instead, his gaze was murderous, and could possibly kill somebody right on the spot. "Get OFF," Natsu snarled, harshly removing her arms from around his neck. He had strode off, clearly irritated. _

He closed his eyes, wishing to rid of all thoughts. He could hear a snap, and the chandelier broke off the ceiling. It was heading towards him now, he could feel it. He squeezed his eyes shut. _Just kill me now. . . . _ _Just kill me and let me go to hell. . . . _

It was near him now, he would be gone from this world soon.

"Natsu!" A voice screamed, making Natsu's eyes flash open. He turned, seeing a blue cat jumping into the air, sprout wings, and fly towards him at top speed. The fire dragon slayer could only stare at him in awe. Happy grabbed Natsu's collar with his paws, and pulled him with all his might, moving the fire mage out of the way of the falling chandelier. Just at that moment, the antique met the ground and shattered against it, its crystals and golden branches scattering at the impact.

Natsu trembled, his eyes meeting the remains of the fallen chandelier.

Happy coughed, clutching his own throat. Natsu turned to him, at a loss for words.

"YOU IDIOT!" Happy screamed pointing a claw at Natsu's face. "DIDN'T YOU SEE THAT CHANDELIER?! IT COULD'VE KILLED YOU!" He gasped for air after his abrupt words. Tears began streaming down his face, some getting caught in his whiskers.

"You. . . saved me?" Natsu whispered, still staring at the blue exceed who was rubbing his nose.

"OF COURSE I DID!" The cat yelled, taking Natsu back by surprise again.

Natsu glanced at the broken chandelier, and looked at Happy. He sniffled and wiped one of his eyes with the back of his paw. "Some people do care about you, Natsu."

Natsu studied him, and finally said, "But what's the point of living any more?"

Happy sighed, leaning back on his paws. He should've expected this sort of answer from the fire mage. "Well, we're a guild, we're family, we're companions." He eyed Natsu with a stony gaze. "You used to know."

The fire dragon slayer simply got to his feet, and stretched. "Well, thanks Happy. Fish?"

Happy gazed up at the fire dragon slayer who grinned for the first time in a while. "Aye. . " Happy, his eyes still full of tears, whispered.

Natsu folded his arms in front of his torso, glancing at Happy. He was contently eating a salmon, his cheeks bulging and his eyes closed.

The fire dragon slayer fixed his eyes to stare at nothing in particular . _There would be a time when he'd die, and his feline companion would never be able to save him. _

Lisanna had changed into a fern, green sweater and soft pink shorts. _The color of Natsu's hair. _Her cuffs aggravated her wrists as she walked, hands behind her. Her teeth caught the corner of her bottom lip and gnawed on it. She had run out of the guild headquarters after hearing Natsu had bailed on the party. Bailed on _her_. She kept her head down, avoiding anyone that walked by. She wanted no sympathy from strangers. She held in all her tears, gulping with difficulty to keep down her mournful sobs from ringing out of her lips.

Natsu had intentionally put off all of their dates, she knew that for sure. The festivals and parties, none of them he had attended with the take-over mage. Her arms limply swayed as she trudged forward. But he had been at Lisanna's birthday party last year, so what had happened to today? She wished so desperately that she could read the fire dragon slayer's thoughts, but it was impossible for her to even interpret the blank expressions on his face.

Her violet slippers dragged across the pavement. Couldn't he just change back into what he used to be? Did Lucy. . . mean so much to him? Lisanna exhaled silently. There wasn't anything else she could do. She couldn't heal his broken heart.

_Should. . . I break up with him? _She clasped both hands to her chest, wishing that Lucy was there with her to help her. _Please, Lucy, just help me. . . heal Natsu. . . _

Her feet met open air, and her eyes widened. Before she knew it, she tripped and lost her footing. She cursed under her breath, the stream had been flowing right along side her and she hadn't noticed. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her back to crash against the water.

Then, silence. Her eyes flashed open. She didn't feel wet at all. Had she not hit the water? She moved her gaze forward to see a girl in a cloak grasping Lisanna's right arm. The shape-shifter blinked twice.

The cloaked girl pulled Lisanna to her feet, grunting during the process. The shadowed girl laughed, her voice tinkling like chimes. "Are you alright? You were about to fall backwards into the water."

Lisanna nodded, still in awe. "T-Thank you." Relief flooded through her body, she wouldn't have to return home drenched from head-to-toe.

The girl's head was bowed. Lisanna noticed, raising an eyebrow. Was she hiding her face? "Well, I'm glad you're fine. If you'll excuse me, I'm in a hurry."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The take-over mage cried, bringing her fingers towards her mouth. "It's all my fault you're late-"

"Don't worry about it." Lisanna could barely make out a sheepish grin from underneath the girl's hood. "I'm not late, I just got to get somewhere. Delivering something." Clutched in the girl's left hand was a golden envelope with a strange postage stamp on it. "Bye!" And the cloaked girl disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

Lisanna stood, still next to the river. She gulped and stepped away, not wanting to take any chances.


	6. Strong Winds

**Posted up new chapters, yayaya Enjoy ^^**

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Natsu carefully placed his feline companion on the bed they both shared. Happy had passed out from fatigue, perhaps from all the magic energy he had used, used to save him from the chandelier. Happy snored away, a bubble flowing out of one of his nostrils and quivering at each heavy breath he took. The past-Natsu would've popped the bubble and cackled as the exceed would scream and fall of the bed.

The fire dragon slayer contemplated the many pictures that were poorly aligned on the walls. Bulletins, newspapers, photographs, he couldn't believe how dumb he was. He tore off a random newspaper, the adhesive easily peeling from the black and white paper. He scanned the words, and he stiffened. He should've known better.

The headings were boldly printed across the page.

**LUCY HEARTFILIA PASSES AWAY IN X792 **

It required all of Natsu's willpower not to crumple the paper or rip it to shreds. He simply let the tabloid slip from his fingers and descend slowly to the floor. He stared at it. If only that girl could just be rid of from his head, rid of from his thoughts. He even tested out his old personality with the blue cat; if he just reverted back to his old ways, then maybe. . . . .

He clutched the side of his head, refusing to let the tears trickle down his face. His fingers dug into his rosy, salmon strands. He had to stop. If anyone saw his eyes bloodshot and teary the next day-

A knock jarred him, making him grit his teeth in derision. He gazed down at Happy, who was still sleeping soundly.

_Now who could that be at this freaking hour?! _Nostalgia completely forgotten, he stomped to the entrance. His sandals clicked against the damp ground, and dust billowed. He grasped the knob and the door flew open. His eyes increased to the size of saucers.

It was Lisanna. "H-Hi." She murmured.

Why did she always have to show up? Natsu's forehead wrinkled in chagrin. He was definitely not in the mood to be lectured, especially by the shape-shifter. And Happy was just a few feet away from them, so he didn't have any choice but to speak softly. "What do you want?" He said gruffly, straining the volume of his voice. "I'm on a tight schedule." He added, hoping it would rid her sooner.

If the take-over wizard was surprised by his overly-foul attitude, she didn't show it. "I want to speak to you."

"Well, Happy's taking a nap right now," Natsu responded. He indicated the fast-asleep feline that lay on the musty pillow of his bed. "And. . . I have no business with you." That was a complete, one hundred percent lie, but he didn't care.

Lisanna chewed her lip, perhaps pondering on what to say next that wouldn't enrage or irritate Natsu in any way. She finally spoke, "We do need to talk." Her eyes flitted to Happy, whose lips were curled into a content smile. "We can do it outside."

". . . Fine. . " Natsu grumbled, seeing that he had no other choice. He was running low on excuses to avoid speaking to Lisanna. The shape-shifter led him out, and he closed the door behind him. "I know a place we can talk," The fire mage offered grudgingly.

Lisanna paused, then nodded slowly her consent. He gripped the edges of Igneel's scarf, although he wasn't sure why. He could feel her gaze traveling on his back, and he had the urge to turn around and glare right back. _I should turn around; let's see how much she likes being stared at. _Nevertheless, he pressed forward, ignoring her wandering sky-blue eyes as much as possible.

Natsu hadn't realized how dark it was.

Everything was pitch black to his serpent-green eyes, everywhere his eyes flicked was ebony, and it was enough to make him shudder. The wind howled loudly, shaking the trees' branches with vast force. The leaves beat against one another, creating even more noise that created an aching pain to the dragon slayer's keen ears. He ground his teeth together, biting back a bellow to the cloud-filled sky.

He turned around to see Lisanna with her arms folded tightly against her abdomen. The distance was far between them, yet, Natsu could see her teeth chattering violently. "M-Maybe we should go back-" She called out with difficulty, wincing.

He parted his lips to respond, but the wind blew him off of his feet and his back crashed against the locks of grass. He choked back a cuss, and shook his head rapidly. The gale was at its strongest, and he couldn't fight against it.

"GO!" He yelled, bringing himself to his feet as he cupped a hand around his mouth. "I'LL BE BEHIND YOU!"

Lisanna bit her lip but nodded determinedly. Snow white strands flapped in the way of her sight. She frantically dug into her pockets, desperate to find a hairpin or a hair band or- Her fingers were gently pricked by a bobby pin. She grabbed hold of it and fastened it to tuck her hair back.

The abundant amount of stars stretched the sky, brightening the night more than usual. The cloaked girl lifted her hood with a thumb and forefinger, taking in the view, and lowering her hood all in one swift motion. The dark figure fingered the old envelope, taking in its rough touch.

_1931 Sumi Rd. _Master had handed her the strange envelope, telling her to send it to the address. Perhaps she could just leave it in his mailbox and go? She strode across the dirtied floor, kicking wine bottles and scraps in disgust. She cursed as she regarded her stained boots. Was this place some sort of wasteland? She stepped around even more abundant amounts of trash, frustration beginning to creep into her. She kept her gaze forward, noticing how the dead trees' branches crooked somewhat claw-like. A single leaf flew from the branch and descended on the ground. The cloaked girl gritted her teeth, urging herself to stay focused.

Her feet took small steps, lightly pressing her toes against the thick ground, and lowering her heel. She continued this process for what felt like ages, a little bit of her energy diminishing at each passing minute. She staggered into the trunk, and leaned against it, catching her breath. Just. . . a few more miles. . .


End file.
